To Be A True Master part 2
by B. Juster II
Summary: The (long) story of a new pokemon trainer, his quest for a legendary evil that he released, and all his adventures along the way


  
  
  
TO BE A TRUE MASTER - THE JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME  
  
  
  
  
  
Part 4. The Electricity Storm (Continued)  
  
  
  
"Pidgeotto, go!"  
"GEEEEEOTTTTTOOOOO!"  
"Pidgeotto! Go under Pikachu and fly him back up here!"  
Pidgeotto glared at me for a moment, but whipped around and leapt into the air, diving down the face of the cliff. Pikachu screamed as he slipped and fell. He disappeared into the darkness, and pidgeotto followed. Several seconds later, pidgeotto appeared from the darkness, a small yellow rodent clutched in its claws.  
  
"Pika!" The pikachu leapt from Pidgeotto's claws before the bird had landed. He clung to my hair, holding on for dear life and chattering away in frantic 'pika's', 'chus', and 'pikachu's'.  
  
Jessie suddenly turned and hurled a pokeball. The pikachu that had been thundershocked was weakly getting to its feet. ZIIIIP! He poured into the pokeball, and it's light dimmed.   
"YAAAAAAAAYY!!!!" Jessie and James jumped up and down, danced all around, exchanged high-fives, and celebrated joyfully. James held out his hand to me. I hesitated, then slapped my hand into his and we clutched each other's wrists. Jessie did the same.   
  
The two teenagers stood and stared at the pokeball. "Well this is no fun."  
"Yes," James said glumly. "We've been chasing Pikachu for almost a year, this takes all the fun out of it!"  
Meowth picked up the pokeball and sniffed. "What're we gonna do with our lives now? I'll spend the rest of my life at the bosses side, doing nothing."  
I turned and grinned, my new pikachu was now in my arms, sleeping peacefully. "So, guys, what're you gonna do with your new Pikachu?"  
  
"Well," James said. "We'll give it to our boss, and see what happens from there. We were trying to catch it for him."  
"Oh," I said with a smile. "So where'll you two head tomorrow?"  
"Ohh, I suppose we'll take Pikachu to boss, then see what happens from there," James said, not looking very enthusiastic at all. Jessie sighed, watching Meowth toss the pokeball around idly.   
  
"Well," I said, inspecting my sleeping Pikachu, "you could always come with me, I'm going to catch as many pokemon as I can and try to catch up with a friend of mine."  
James brightened up for a moment, then saddened again. "No, boss wouldn't like that, and we just.... Can't do that."  
I frowned. "Okay, well, we'd better get some sleep, it'll take us all day to get out of Viridian Forest tomorrow."  
"Okay," James murmured.  
  
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Part 5. Pewter- The Gym of Rock Hard Defense!  
  
  
  
  
  
Breakfast was a very sad time the next morning. Not as sad for me, though I was disappointed that Jessie and James were leaving. I had grown rather fond of the clumsy, arguing duo and their talking cat. It took a short hour's walk before we reached the edge of the forest, where the gates to Pewter city lay.   
I sighed and held out my hand to James. He solemnly took it and shook firmly, followed by Jessie, then the small Meowth cat, who looked a bit sad also. "Well, guys, I guess I'll see you around. If you ever want to reconsider joining up with me, I'll be heading up through the cities to get some badges and pokemon, you'll always find me on a path."  
"Right," James said. "  
"But I doubt we'll reconsider. We're loyal to Team- to our boss," Jessie said, turning and walking up the street, James and Meowth quietly following her.  
  
I left my pokemon under the healing powers of Nurse Joy at Pewter's pokecenter and walked leisurely down the street. I suddenly remembered I was out of pokeballs and entered a pokemart. I quickly picked out 12 pokeballs and left them on the counter to wander the small store. I found a rack I hadn't seen in the pallet PokeMart. Rows of small computer-like devices lined the shelf, along with a card describing each one below it. They were TM's, I thought after reading one of the tabs.  
  
I decided to try a couple out, so I bought a Mega Punch, Dig, Body Slam, and Reflect. The total for my shopping came up to a whopping $175, but I paid it, determined to teach my pokemon some good attacks. I paid the dollar fee and stepped into a videophone booth. I dialed Professor Oak's number and waited. He picked up, looking happy to see me.  
"Hello again, Jack, have you gone to Viridian Forest yet?"  
"Yes, sir! I finished it today, and caught Doduo, Pikachu, Pidgeotto, and Spearow!"  
Professor Oak looked a little surprised. "Jack, you are catching Pokemon at an incredible rate! Ash has more than you, but it took him months just to get the 15 he has! In less than a week, you have 8! Which reminds me of the trainers law, you cannot carry more than 6 pokemon with you."  
  
I frowned, but sighed and pulled out Rattata and Spearow's pokeballs, and set them on the transferral plate. "Could you keep Rattata and Spearow for me, Professor?"  
"I would be happy to," he said, and flipped the trasferral switch on his videophone. I watched solemnly as my pokeballs glowed, then disappeared. "Well, Professor, I have to go, I plan to teach my Pokemon some attacks, then go up against Pewter Gym. Bye!"  
"Goodbye, Jack!"  
  
I timidly entered the huge pokemon gym of Pewter city, looking around in awe. The center of the floor was dominated by an 80 foot wide circle of sand and dirt outlined by a red painting of a pokeball. The floor around was madeof wood, shining with polish. The bleachers, hundreds it seemed, were empty.  
  
"So, do you wish to challenge me?" An arrogant teenager's voice boomed from a dark section of the gym. A tall, well-built man with dark brown hair and green eyes stepped out from the shadows. A badge on his chest identified him only as "Adrian."  
"Umm, it crossed my mind," I said nervously.  
"Fine, then gimme your best, boy! 3 pokemon battle, let's go! You fight for the Rock Badge and the $400 payment for victory!"  
I straightened and pulled out a pokeball.   
"Go Charmander!" I yelled. "Char! Charmander!"  
"Go Geodude!" Adrian yelled. "Geodude!"  
"Geodude, Rock Throw!"   
"Charmander, Ember!"  
Geodude hurled a dozen large rocks into the air, which came crashing down with earth shattering force. Charmander skillfully dodged the deadly storm, then stabbed his paws into the ground and roared. "CHAAAAAAAR!"  
Geodude, looking surprised as the ground began to shake. He screamed as the ground erupted into flames, geysering up in one spot, sending him flying up into the air.  
BAM! Geodude slammed down into the ground, knocked out,  
"Geodude return, go Rhyhorn! Use Horn Attack!"  
Rhyhorn began to power up and I suddenly got a very bad feeling. "Charmander, reflec-" OH NO! I HAD FORGOTTEN TO TEACH CHARMANDER THE TM'S!  
"Chaaaaar!" Charmander flew up into the air and slid across the dirt as Rhyhorn's huge horn slammed into his stomach. The heavy Pokemon snorted and charged the recovering Charmander.  
"Char! chachar! chaaaaaa-"   
"Charmander return, go Nidoran! Use Fury Attack!"  
"Nidoran!"   
Nidoran pounced upon the Rhyhorn before it could turn to face him. Slamming his fist into Rhyhorn's face to stun it, Nidoran produced his deadly claws and went to work. Rhyhorn roared in pain, and Adrian retrieved him. "Go, Vulpix, flamethrower!"  
"VULLLLLL!" A huge blast of flames erupted from Vulpix's mouth, and Nidoran disappeared. When the flames cleared up several seconds later, Nidoran lay on the ground, twitching. "Nidoran, come back, go Pidgeotto!"  
"DGEOTTO!!!!"   
The two Pokemon faced up. This was the last pair, who would decide the victor of the match.   
"Vulpix, Confuse Ray!"  
"Pidgeotto, Wing Attack!"  
Pidgeotto hurled himself at Vulpix, running speedily across the dirt circle. Vulpix glared at Pidgeotto, and a ray of black light formed, searing through Pidgeotto's mind. Pidgeotto crowed loudly as he flapped his wings crazily, losing his balance and staggering on towards Vulpix.  
Vulpix tried to dodge, but was too late. Pidgeotto shrieked, glared, and pooled the last of his strength, slamming into Vulpix full force. Both Pokemon lay still. Adrian looked at me, then back at the pokemon. A tie?  
"Vull..." Vulpix stood up unsteadily and staggered back to its trainer.   
"Hehehe," Adrian chuckled, nudging my fainted Pidgeotto. "I win."  
  
  
With Adrian laughing insanely behind me, I left the Pewter gym, fully embarassed. I sat down at a table in the Pokecenter while my Pokemon were healing, deciding if it was worth it to try again the next day. Well, if I taught the TM's to my other pokemon, Charmander could learn them from them and I could have a better chance of defeating Adrian. But that Vulpix worried me. It stood for the 'Rock Hard Defense' of Pewter. If it could stand up and walk away from a super tackle from Pidgeotto, then it could have a good chance of holding up to my Pokemon. And with Flamethrower and Confuse Ray, it was a thoroughly powerful Pokemon!  
  
"NO! I WILL WIN!"   
The pokecenter fell quiet as people stared at me. I smiled weakly, realizing I was standing up with my fist in the air. I grabbed my Pokeballs and crept out of the Pokecenter, feeling like Vulpix's flamethrower was barbequing my face.  
  
  
"Pikachu, dig!"  
Pikachu, looking tired, scratched out a hole and dove down into it, burrowing underground and appearing twenty feet away. Charmander, watching intently, suddenly began hopping up and down excitedly. "Char char ch charmander cha charr!"  
I wiped my forehead. "It's about time, okay, try it!"  
  
Charmander began his routine. Making sure all of my pokemon, who were lined up watching him, WERE watching, he pointed at the ground, uttered a short 'char', and began digging furiously. He was a bit slower than Pikachu, but he disappeared underground fully in about ten seconds. Twenty seconds later he appeared fifty feet away, 'char'ing happily.  
"Okay, great! Come back Charmander!"  
  
Charmander proudly dug another hole and appeared beside me in eight seconds. "Wow, you're getting faster by the minute, Charmander," I commented. He smirked.  
"Okay, Nidoran, Mega Punch!"  
"Nidoran swiftly turned and his fist met Pidgey's head in a blur. "DGEEEEEEEEEY!!" Poor Pidgey sailed off into Viridian Forest, his shriek growing fainter.  
  
I glared at Nidoran. "What is it with you? Why are you so obsessed with beating up on Pidgey??? That's all you ever wanna do, you have a one track mind! Beat up Pidgey, Beat up Pidgey, Beat up Pidgey, Beat up-"  
  
I hesitated. Nidoran was beginning to glow. Doduo and Pikachu whined and hopped away from him. Nidoran glowed even brighter, and his glowing body began to grow. The horn on his head grew, the spikes on his back shot up, and his body grew to twice his former size. I snapped out Pokedex and pointed it.  
  
"Nidoran's evolved form, Nidorino. An agressive pokemon that is quick to attack, much the same as its unevolved form. The horn on its head secretes a poisonous venom. This pokemon learns Fury Attack and Horn Drill as it evolves."  
  
"NIDORINO!" Nidorino roared, sending Doduo jogging away and setting Pikachu to digging a hole, his head poking up, whimpering. Pidgey came flying back and landed beside Nidorino, crowing angrily. Its raucous cries died down as it took a moment to size up its once smaller comrade. With a pitiful chirp, Pidgey hopped over to me and hid behind my leg.  
"Well, umm, okay. Nidorino, return, Pidgey return, Doduo return, Pikachu return, Pidgeotto return!"  
With red flashes, five of my pokemon entered their pokeballs. "Okay, Charmander, Reflect!"  
Charmander crossed his arms and ducked down low. A red-glowing barrier formed in front of him, crackling. "Mega Punch!"  
  
Charmander hopped over to a tree and drew his fist back. His fist connected with the tree so fast I never saw it. The tree just exploded into splinters at the base, and cracked ten feet up, and crashed down into the forest.  
  
"Body Slam!" Charmander took a good running start and leapt high into the air. He impacted a tree with ground shaking force, riding the tree all the way to the ground. He hopped off of his dead foe and curled his fists at his sides, glaring around in his momentary power.  
I laughed. "Let's go Charmander and set up camp, tomorrow we go up against Adrian again!  
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Part 6. The Rock Hard Defense Cracks!  
  
  
  
I threw the door to Pewter's Gym open. I was determined to win, and to do that I had to be confident, which meant I had to be tough. Charmander stood behind me, tail flaming angrily, fists balled at his sides. "So, you've come for another fight, Boy?"  
"Yeah, but this time I WON'T lose. I'll bet my entire savings of $400. That means if you lose, you pay the gym's 400, plus 400 of your own. You in?"  
"You're on, shrimp," Adrian said, hurling Rhyhorn into action.  
"Charmander you're on, BODY SLAM and MEGA PUNCH!"  
  
Charmander dodged a fast tackle by Rhyhorn and slammed into him, sending the superpower staggering back. "CHAAAAR!" Charmander's fist blurred forward and Rhyhorn was thrown back ten feet. Charmander jumped out of the way of the strong pokemon as it stumbled, trying to tackle him. Charmander mega punched Rhyhorn right in the back, sending his enemy face down into the dirt, where he lay still.  
"Rhyhorn return, Go Graveler!"  
"Huh? He evolved, dangit! Charmander, dig!"  
"Graveler, dig!"  
Charmander and the rocky Graveler burrowed underground together, and all was quiet. Muffled squeals and grunts could be heard, coming from underground, traveling around the gym. Suddenly, a circle of dirt ten feet wide exploded into a pit of fire. Graveler howled as he was thrown from the pit. The pokemon weakly lifted its head and whimpered, then fainted. Just as Adrian was recalling his Rhyhorn, an awesome spectacle occured.  
  
Lights exploded from the flame pit, and Charmander roared. Spears of fire shot in all directions from the pit. A pokemon that must have been Charmander jumped ten feet into the air and landed inbetween me and Adrian. It was Charmander, but he was two feet taller, had a horn on his head, giant claws, and a longer tail. He had EVOLVED!   
  
"Charmeleon, the evolved form of Charmander. When it swings its burning tail, it raises the temperature to unbearably high levels," Pokedex said. I tucked the computer away and looked Charmander over once more.  
"Well, let's go! Vulpix go!" Adrian hurled out his last pokemon.  
"Vulpix, flamethrower!"  
I decided to take a chance, see if Charmeleon had learned a new attack. "Charmeleon, flamethrower!"  
Both pokemon opened their mouths and beams of fire came forth. Yes! He did learn flamethrower, slammin!  
The fire beams struck each other and began a fierce power bid. Charmeleon's flame was steadily pushing Vulpix's back. The little fox pokemon was sweating, and beginning to look a little worried as Charmeleon's flame began to overtake it's own. The Vulpix dropped its flame in exhaustion, and a moment later was engulfed in Charmeleon's blast. But Charmeleon couldn't hold up his blast either, and it had barely touched Vulpix when it died down.  
"Vulpix, Confuse Ray!"  
"Charmeleon, Reflect!"  
The familiar black beam from the previous day was formed again and sent at Charmeleon. It struck Charmeleon's red shield, disintegrating. As the exhausted Vulpix tried to summon up the strength to continue fighting, I yelled out "Charmeleon, Mega Punch!"  
Charmeleon leapt forward, smirked and picked up the weak Vulpix. WHAAAAM! Vulpix squealed as it sailed across the gym, stopping only when it hit a wall and slid down. I twirled my hat and grinned at Adrian.  
Adrian looked at his Vulpix, then my Charmeleon, then at me. "H-how...?"  
"You know the bet pal. 800 and the badge!"  
Adrian's eyes flared up and he snapped out a pokeball. "Go, ONIX!"  
  
A towering snake of rock formed in front of me, and I was stunned for a moment, I had never seen anything so big! I shook my head and shouted out orders to Charmeleon. "Flamethrower, then Body Slam, Charmeleon!"  
  
Charmeleon roared and hurled a short volley of fire at Onix. The rock snake glowed red and charged Charmeleon, using its body weight to attempt a devastating tackle. Charmeleon dove out of the way, Onix piling into the ground near him. "CHAR!" Charmeleon hurtled into Onix, bashing into the enemy's head with his full strength. Onix roared and slumped to the ground.  
Adrian reached for another pokeball.   
"PIDGEOTTO, DODUO, PIKACHU, NIDORINO, PIDGEY GO!"  
"DGEOTTO!"  
"DO!"  
"PIKA"  
"NIDO!"  
"DGEY!"  
  
All six of my pokemon lined up in front of me, glaring furiously at Adrian. Flames licked at Charmeleon's mouth, Doduo stamped his feet, sparks flew from Pikachu's cheeks, Nidorino snorted and pawed the dirt, Pidgey and Pidgeotto began pushing sand into the air with great flaps of their wings.  
I stood behind my pokemon, trying not to lose my temper. "The badge, and the bet NOW and I won't report you to the police."  
  
Adrian's face paled, and he moved his hand away from his pokeballs. He pulled a badge, and a pouch from a bag on his belt, and tossed them to me. "I hope you're more honest in the future, it could save you a lot of trouble, or even your life," I said, turning and exiting. My Pokemon followed me out, and behind me Adrian fell to his knees, defeated for the first time.   
  
"YEEEEEEAH!!" I jumped up and down and yelled triumphantly outside the gym, my Pokemon dancing joyfully around me. I hugged Charmeleon, and Pidgey rested on my head. Doduo thumped up and down the street at a fast trot, Pikachu riding on his back. Nidorino stood on his hind legs and danced around with Pidgeotto, grabbing the bird by its wings and jumping around.   
I laughed at the big strong pokemon dancing around. "I guess we've hit upon something that Nidorino likes, shows of power!"  
  
My five other pokemon started laughing at Nidorino in their own way, and the tough fighter stood on all fours again, digging in and snorting like a bull again. Needless to say, Pidgey went for another long ride then. I sighed and shook my head at the chuckling animal. I pinned my badge to the inside of my jacket and trotted off to find Pidgey, following his faint crowing.  
  
To celebrate our victory, I bought some Pokemon candy and we camped out in Viridian forest for the night. They played for hours, Pidgey getting punched into a tree by Nidorino several times. They chased and tackled each other, tried to learn each other's attacks, and even had one or two battles. Pidgey defeated Doduo, Pikachu defeated Pidgey, then Nidorino, Pidgeotto and even almost pinned Charmeleon down. Nidorino, the poor guy, lost to Charmeleon, then the shrimpy Pikachu, but on the bright side, did defeat Doduo and Pidgey. Charmeleon was crowned king of the Starting Pokemon, as he defeated all of them.  
  
As I watched Pikachu fight, I began to consider the possibility of raising Pikachu. He seemed like a very powerful pokemon, and his potential was electric! And Ash Ketchum seemed to prefer using a pikachu, so all in all, Pikachu was a prime candidate for my second-place starting pokemon.  
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Part 7. I Hit the Jackpot!  
  
  
  
I felt glorious as I rode past the gates of Pewter City into the open road, on my way to Mt. Moon, through which I could get to Cerulean city. Since the previous day, my Pokemon had been brought closer to me, and now wanted to stay out of their pokeballs with me more often.  
I had installed a basket on the front of my bike, where Pikachu insisted on sitting, so he could feel the breeze. Charmeleon pelted alongside me, keeping up with me easily, as he had learned Agility from Pikachu the previous night. Pidgey and Pidgeotto shrieked and crowed in the sky, fighting to get ahead of each other. Doduo ran ahead of us all, so far ahead that the only way I could keep track of him was by Pidgey and Pidgeotto's normal reports of dust clouds in the distance. Nidorino stayed in his pokeball, a little depressed from losing so many times to his comrades.  
  
Charmeleon swerved back and forth along the road, looking like a short dinosaur running in front of me. Pikachu was uttering breathless 'Pika's' and looking around at the passing countryside in wonder. Charmeleon turned his head to make sure I was still behind him, and uttered a loud "Char!"   
"Pika pika!" Pikachu said, waving his tiny arms from his basket.  
"Charmeleon, look out!" I was too late.  
Charmeleon had gone off the path. BAM! I skidded to a halt and dismounted my bike, Pikachu jumping out after me. Pidgeotto shrieked loudly to Doduo, then he and Pidgey dropped to Earth. Charmeleon groaned and fell away from the sign he had rammed into. "Ouch," I said, wincing.   
  
"Pika pika?" Pikachu hopped up on Charmeleon's stomach and waved his paws in the air. Charmeleon's eyes rolled around in his head as he tried to comprehend the tiny yellow thing standing on him. Pikachu bent over and pikced up an apple, offering it to Charmeleon. He got no response.   
  
Pikachu placed his paws on Charmander's forehead and jerked. Electricity jolted into Charmeleon from Pikachu. Charmeleon jumped up, throwing Pikachu off him. The tiny electric rodent shook his head and hopped away. Doduo finally arrived, stepping on Pikachu with his big feet.   
  
"PIKAAAAA!" Doduo chirped and leapt away, his hair standing up and little jolts of electricity flying off his feet. After making sure that Charmeleon was allright, I turned to the sign that he had hit.  
Eevee city open for travelers!  
Stop and take a rest, search our   
forest for Eevee's and Evolution  
Stones! Take a right down this   
road for about a mile!   
"Let's do it, guys," I said. "I could use an Eevee, and some evolution stones for Nidorino and Pikachu!"  
"Char!"  
"Chu!"  
"Do!"  
"DGEOTTO!"  
"DGEY!"  
Pikachu jumped into his little basket, Doduo burst off down the small side road, and my two birds flapped up into the air again. I took off on my bike, Charmeleon steadily keeping up with me.   
  
Stick around for Part 3 of Jack Soniq's adventures!  
  
  
I would once again like to apologize for any wrongs I may have made in this story, and would like to thank SPSquirtle for his review and corrections! I'm sorry about the Ember part, I guess I was going with what happens in the game, hehehe. But unfortunately I'll have to keep this version of Ember, as it would ruin later plans if I used the original one, sorry!   
Please review this section, Mr SPSquirtle! As in the first section, please send any comments to brenndon_juster@hotmail.com  
  
This Section is Dedicated to my Dad, who bought me so many Pokemon Cards, and given me so many suggestions for writing stories (Sorry dad, but I just can't write about the stuff you suggested!). But anyway, he's been a terrific dad, and has not tried to stop my Pokemon craze, though he thinks Pokemon is stupid. Thanks for everything Dad.  



End file.
